Avast was very good, but it is turning down. I am suffering with not 1, but some problems. I intended to send one request of help for each one, but I changed my mind and will follow a more holistic approach. The following problems are happening:

1) Avast is blocking my 4 browsers : Google, Firefox, Opera and IE. But does not block httpS (secure) sites. The blocking disappeared on all 4 browsers when I took any 1 of the following 2 measures: a) to disable Avast OR b) at 'Settings => Troubleshooting => Redirecting Settings, to clear the value 80 from the HTTP ports field. (I chose to delete 80 by chance and, somehow, it worked. I kept the other 8 values in the same field.) But I don't know if the cleaning of this value of the field weakens the Avast's protection and at what degree. Could you tell me ? Or could you give me a better solution ?

2) Avast become to interfere with Outlook Express or, more properly, began a dispute with my email server. My email server requires secure SSL connections for SMTP and for POP3. If I disable the SSL, it does not accept my requests to fetch or to send emails. But now Avast became to require the disabling of SSL, and displays a message saying that the security of the emails shall be left to it. But my email server doesn't accept this. How to solve this problem ?

3) Recently, I am having some trouble to update Avast. One time, it notified me that a new version was available. I updated it, the process went well, but at the end it continued to say that it was outdated. I repeated the same process about 2 times, with the same results, so I gave up. Until now, if I go to 'Maintenance => Updating' and click the 'Update program' button, Avast download some file, but the version remains the same after the process.

4) Also in the previous days, Avast displayed a message that my register was ending (less than 30 days). I followed the instructions to register again, but the process crashed. The only way that I found to register was by sending an email request, getting the registration key by email and pasting it manually at a field.

Maybe these 4 problems are interlinked and have only 1 cause and solution. Some data about my system : -> Windows XP SP3-> Firewall : only the one from Windows XP-> Anti-virus : only Avast-> I have 2 computers linked through a router using as software the Windows XP native network. Both began the display the same problems at the same time.

I don't want the end without adding some words about another problem, this one certainly unrelated to the previous ones, that may not be overcome by Avast users, but only by Avast developers. It is the following : Avast is recommending me (us) to put many softwares I use in the sandbox when I open them. Some of them are old programs (a screen capturer, from 1998; a volume controller, from 2003; ...), against which Avast became to alert only recently, what is surprising; other old ones I have send to Avast to examine more than an year ago. Well, I don't know which ones I shall open ON or OUT the sandbox, so some I open IN and others I open OUT. But Avast only accepts to remember my decision when it is to open the program OUT of the sandbox. If I choose to open it ON the sandbox, I have to repeat this option every single time I open it. Until my patience ends and I decide to open it OUT of the sandbox, to get my decision respected by Avast and to get rid of the same question again and again.

Naturally, I am asking answers only to the first 4 problems I presented. Thanks in advance.

2) Avast become to interfere with Outlook Express or, more properly, began a dispute with my email server. My email server requires secure SSL connections for SMTP and for POP3. If I disable the SSL, it does not accept my requests to fetch or to send emails. But now Avast became to require the disabling of SSL, and displays a message saying that the security of the emails shall be left to it. But my email server doesn't accept this. How to solve this problem ?

avast does not require...it is telling you that IF you want it to scan the mail, your must disable SSL in you mail client and let avast do the SSL connectionIf you dont want it to, then there is a setting you uncheck and you want see the warning

avast need to be between the provider and the email program (client) to scan the messages. The SSL messages (encrypted) can't be scanned. So avast stay in between and it itself provides the SSL encrypted communication after scanning.

avast (free) is just an antivirus so it does not block anything, just scan. Block is a work for the firewall. But it does not seem that Windows one is blocking. Which was your antivirus before avast? Any other security program that could interfere?

Once the repair ends, REBOOT immediately (even if not requested by the repair, the reboot after repair is a MUST to solve the update problem).

If the repair and reboot is not enough, download the latest Avast Free setup.exe and run it as Administrator. Then reboot.

After the repair, you can take care of the rest.

About the SSL, as already mentioned, either the email client OR Avast can take care of that, but not both. Avast is suggesting you that, if you want Avast to scan the emails, you should cancel the SSL option of your email client, and, instead of that, let Avast take care of SSL. For that, you should properly configure Avast with the SSL options.

AFTER doing all that, there MIGHT be some additional steps, only if the connection problem is not solved (which has nothing to do with the "80" port if you want Avast to protect you). So come back and report your results.